Sheet-metal tank and method of making it



G. F. HAUF- SHEET METAL TANK AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed Jan. 29

Patented May 6, 1924 GEORGE mm; Intiivois.

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To all whom it may 00mm:

. Be it known .that I, Gn'onen F- HAUF, a citizen of the United Statesaresiding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal'Tanks and Methods of Making Themyof which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in tanks, and in other sheet metal containers, and, the method'employe'd in making them.

One of tlieobjfects'of the invention isthe provision of a novel andeflicint method of joiiiingt'lie 'bottom and side walls of the tank and in finishing the upper edge or rim bounding the opening thereof. I Another object is to provi'dea strong, re enforcing hoop, or ring, enclosed inthe' int'erfoldedterminal edges of; the bottom' and the" loweq portion of the vertical walls, whereby the bottom isstrengthened' and raised materially above-the bottom edge of the structure.

nastier obj at" is to provide a novel, valuable manner of joining the bottom and vertical walls with an angular reenforcing ring which is located entirely within the ultimate diameter of the tank and a similar ring at the top open edge of the tank, projecting therefrom so that when the side walls are slightly tapered, diverging from the bottom toward the top, the tanks may neatly be nested one within the other, to facilitate transportation.

Other, further and more specific objects of the invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in, the art, from a consideration of the following description, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation of a typical tank made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the form of the upper rim bounding the opening in the tank.

Figs. 3, 4: and 5 show the steps pursued in joining the bottom wall and side walls of the tank in cooperation with the reenforcing ring that is to be surrounded by said walls. a In all the Views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

In making the tanks in accordance with my invention, they may be round or oval applicants filed .ianiiary 29719512 si-i'a'r no. 44 0,8'81'. L

andlniaybecorrugated, as at 6. The bottom wall 7 ,is to close'one end of the tank.-

. In the proceeding-for carrying my invention: intoeifect I provide a rin g-8 made of angle iron: ofv angularcross section, having legs 9 and 10 joined at the apex 11. The first proceeding in preparing the bottom 1 7 to be joinedto the side walls-12 is to make aflangte, subsequently consisting of the parts 13na'nd 14; of the bottom wall, before they are crimped into the valley of the' rin'g, as shown in--Fig The ring 8 with its apex .p'Iroj'ecting substantially at right angles to the flange vi s then placed'inside of the cylinder-thus .foinied'and' the parts 13 and 14 pressed into substantial parallelism and prefer-ably in contact with the legs 9 and 10 of the ring 8. 'Theringl 8, with the coirne'cted bottom 7,1.isthen placed inside'o'f the tank, in substantial contactwith the wall12 fthe: ta'n'k, after which the members 15"and 16- are: bent around thein'ner surface of t'h'e ring 8 and the vertical part1? is criniped into parallelism with'thep'arts 13 and 14 of I the bottom, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Rollers 19 and 20 may be employed for bending the metal around the rings.

1V hen the outer wall 12,0f the tank is rolled over the ring to enclose it, as shown in Figs. 3, at and 5, the upper edge 21 is in substantial contact with the bottom surface of the Wall 7, so that it cannot become accidentally displaced and the wall 7 will firmly hold it in the position in which it has been placed by the roller 19.

The upper open edge of the tank is bounded by a ring 23 made of angle iron, but bent and joined in such way that the apex 24 eX- tends outwardly substantially at right angles to wall 12, the ends 25 and 26 of the.

legs of the ring being in the same vertical plane. The ring is placed over the upper edge of the tank and on the outside thereof, whereupon the members 27, 28, 29 and 30 are bent around the ring, in the manner heretofore described with reference to the bottom ring.

Proportional to the amount of metal entering into the composition of the ring there can be no stronger structure for the purpose than the transversely arched ring shown, and in this particular embodiment the bottom ring 8 is within the wall 12, whereas the upper ring 23 is outwardly beyond the wall.

so that the bottom edge of a similar tank structure will easily nest into another tank, thereby enabling the manufacturer and shipper to condense his shipping package into the smallest permissible compass. Furthermore, it will be observed that the bottom 7 of the tank is elevated above the lowest bottom edge of the structure 31 which is a decided advantage in preventing puncture of the bottom by any irregularity of the ground upon which the tank may be placed and protecting the bottom of the tank from actual contact with. the surface of the ground thereby avoiding early deterioration by rust.

By positioning either ring so that its apex projects substantially at right angles tothe side wall of the tank (i. e., so that the angle opens at right angles to the side wall) the forming of the sides and bottom to conform thereto is rendered simple and easy. This arrangement also simplifies and strengthens the holding of the bottom since, when the side wall is bent about the angle, the end thereof is held in place by the bottom wall.

If desired the wall '12may stop at or near the point 11 and be spot welded at intervals to the hoop or ring 8 and the outer wall 12 need not entirely encircle either of the rings, above or below if in lieu thereof the edges are spot welded to the ring at suitable intervals.

The ring need not necessarily'be acutely angular in cross section 'as it may be more or less arc'uate or curved without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of joining the bottom and side walls of a sheet metal tank which consists in providing a ring having an angular cross section With its terminal edges in a vertical plane and its apex turned inwardly; bending the bottom Wall of the tank at right angles to form a flange; inserting the ring within the flange; crimping the flange inwardly until it is substantially parallel with the surface of the ring; placing said ring and connected bottom within the sidewall of thetank and bending the marginal edges thereof into planes substantially parallel with theinner surface of the ring and crimping the outside portion of said side walls 'into planes parallel with the ring and overlyiililg the crimped portion of the bottom wa 2. The method of making atank, as characterized in claim 1; then providing another similar ring having an angular cross section with its terminal edges in a vertical plane and its apex extending outwardly; placing the ring over the upper open end of the side walls of the tank and bending the upper edge of the side walls about the ring in substantially parallel with the surfaces thereof, thereby enclosing the ring and permitting nesting of the tank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE F. HAUF. 

